The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has ordered the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)to compensate all customers who have been affected by the malfunctioning of its prepayment meter system.
In a press release on October 4, 2022, PURC indicated that ECG shall compensate affected customers in the form of one-time electricity credit from October 1 to 7, 2022.
The ECG has been directed to notify customers of the compensation due them. Also, the compensation shall be clearly displayed on customer receipts.
Over the weekend, consumers complained that they were unable to buy electricity credit using the prepayment meter system despite the ECG stating that the challenges faced had been resolved.
“The Electricity Company of Ghana wishes to inform all stakeholders, especially our cherished customers on our prepayment metering system that the issue with the 3rd Party Vending Points has been resolved,” part of the statement released on October 1 read.
On Monday, the Electricity Company of Ghana revealed that they have fixed the vending challenges customers were facing with the prepaid metering system across the country.
However, many say they continue to experience such challenges. Customers who have thronged ECG offices have had to leave without being attended to.
Meanwhile, the PURC has directed the ECG to extend its working hours at all affected locations to 8PM.
Also, the electricity service provider is to employ temporary staff to ensure that affected customers are speedily attended to and a credited with the approved compensation by October 7, 2022.
Prepaid metre users of the state power distribution company between late September 2022 and early October 2022 experienced challenges in topping up credit.
The situation affected customers seeking to purchase credit from third-party vending points and the ECG mobile app, leading to several power users being left without supply for days.
In a statement dated October 4, 2022, the PURC ordered ECG to compensate its affected customers for breaching its obligations.
“In view of the extent of inconvenience occasioned by the failure with the ECG prepayment meter system, the Commission has determined that ECG shall pay compensation to all affected customers.
“ECG IS HERBY ORDERED to compensate each affected customer for loss suffered as a show of responsive customer service,” the statement said.
According to the directive, the compensation is to be affected “in the form of one-time electricity credit commencing 1 October 2022 and ending October 7, 2022.”
See below the details of the full order by PURC to ECG
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The Lowdown: Role of the diaspora in the development of Africa
CEO of the Aaron Manvel Foundation Millie Lorene Tucker and Gary Hope, the CEO of FLCC – Bring Back Hope Foundation underscore the need for the African diaspora to help develop the continent in this episode of The Lowdown on GhanaWeb TV. According to the women trying to make and create a change in Ghana, our forefathers were sold away and made to develop strange lands. Thus, coming back home and developing their home country is the best thing to do especially when resources are available.
The Executive Director of the Institute for Energy Policies and Research (IEPRe), Kwadwo Poku, is calling for transparency in the IT department of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
According to Mr. Opoku, the department’s refusal to provide the company board with accounts of its operations is a contributing factor to the current challenges with the ECG’s prepaid credit operating system.
His remarks come after some ECG prepaid customers were left in the dark due to a technical issue that prevented them from purchasing credits for their metres.
Customers in Accra, Volta Region, Takoradi, Tema, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Winneba, Swedru, Koforidua, Nkawkaw, and Tafo were affected.
Information privy to him indicates that “there is one person at ECG who controls all the vendors” and that, according to him, is what the ECG’s managing director, Samuel Dubik Masubir Mahama, has been trying to impose some changes within the organization, particularly with regard to how the credit system is managed, but has encountered some resistance from the IT unit that is in charge of the system.
In an interview with Joy News, Kwadwo Poku mentioned that “Now what happens is that the Managing Director of ECG and his managers are asking the IT department to give them some information and that information is not forthcoming”.
Refuting claims of ECG suffering a system hack, Kwadwo Poku explained that Hubtel’s involvement in resolving the prepaid credit system challenge is not to check for hacks but to “help ECG develop a transparent platform” as that is exactly what the company needs to juxtapose into its financials.
While he stopped short of accusing the IT department of sabotage, he noted that the ongoing impasse may have a direct link to the system shutdown that ECG had experienced over the past six days.
Samuel Mahama, the managing director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), has expressed his regret to the company’s whole customer base for the error that prevented the purchase of electricity.
He acknowledged that the company’s incapacity to perform at its peak was to blame for the problem.
On Monday, October 3, he claimed during a news conference in Accra, “I sell energy with the company called Electricity Company of Ghana.
I confess it, and my business acknowledges its error in failing to provide clients with service. We sincerely apologize for this.
“That was our fault that we were not on top of our game to deliver a service. Let us not forget that in such a business the customer is the one that always gets hurt when you don’t deliver on your promise. So when I said I admit my fault I admit my fault in not being able to deliver the service that we promised to deliver.”
He stressed ” I will like to apologize to all customers of the Electricity Company of Ghana who attempted to purchase power and they were not able to purchase power, the company admits its fault , the company admits that it was not able to deliver on the service. But the company will like all its customers to also know that most vending stations are up and running. I used most because we still have have some few challenges in the Ashanti region that we are working on. Hopefully, by close of day today, it will be resolved.”
Technical fault disrupted the purchase of power in most parts of the country, leaving consumers frustrated.
The ECG on Saturday October 1 told customers that the problem had been resolved therefore they can now purchase the power.
“Customers can now purchase electricity credits from nearest vending points and all ECG District offices including tomorrow Sunday 2nd October 2022 from 9AM to 4PM,” the statement said.
An International Expert in Information Security, Professor Godfried Williams, has advised the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) not to rule out cyber attacks on its system.
He noted that the disruption of services clearly showed that the ECG did not have a robust cyber resilient plan in place to respond to attacks of such nature.
In an interview last Sunday on how the ECG could secure its system, Prof. Williams — who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Intellas, an IBM Business Partner — said with a resilient plan in place, the ECG could have still provided services to clients despite the attacks.
Breaches
Giving further details, Prof. Williams said the cyber breaches could be caused by internal or external sources.
He explained the idea that it could come from outside might not always be the case because there might be attackers who operated internally.
“But the only thing which is obvious is that there is a denial of service, which means that the systems have been attacked.
“The way out is to prepare ahead, but in situations that you are not prepared and it happens in real time, you need to face the consequences like what we are seeing with ECG today,” he said.
Key actors
The information security expert said the problem was no longer a wholly ECG burden, emphasising that there was the need for the involvement of all key actors to solve the situation.
That, he said, was because when attackers succeeded in their quest in a particular country, the trend was that they made several efforts at others because they could see more vulnerability in the system.
“And so, this may be just the beginning, and we need to brace ourselves and prepare ahead,” he stated.
Protecting threats
To protect against the threats, Prof. Williams said there should be collaborative efforts among businesses, institutions, experts and regulatory authorities in the cyber space to create an enabling environment that would help them guard against vulnerabilities to cyber attacks.
He explained that the collaboration should precede the creation of a robust cyber security ecosystem that thrived on consistent engagements among relevant stakeholders and championed by the Cyber Security Authority(CSA).
Prof. Williams said recent instances of attacks demonstrated the necessity for industry-wide collaboration to fight against the threats.
The attacks, he said, often had significant impacts with regards to financial losses to the affected entity and its clients, and so it required firms to build cyber resilience.
He added that in building cyber resilience, firms needed to anticipate, predict, detect and protect their key infrastructure from attacks.
Background
Many homes in the country have been plunged into darkness after the ECG’s prepaid metering system failed to render services to its consumers from Monday, September 26, 2022.
According to a press statement issued by the ECG on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, the electricity distributor admitted to experiencing technical challenges which had affected prepaid metering systems, thereby interrupting the vending of prepaid electricity credit across the country.
“Affected customers should please note that our ICT team is working assiduously to correct the anomaly and restore the system to normalcy,” the statement said.
However, five days after the issue of the statement, consumers were still reported to be stuck in darkness as they were unable to load power credit to their prepaid system.
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Mines and Energy Committee, John Jinapor, says he has spoken to the Chairman of the Committee, Samuel Atta Akyea, to invite the Management of the Electricity Company Limited to appear before the Committee for the issues surrounding the technical challenge to be dealt with.
According to him, doing so would provide both Parliament and the general public with the full facts as to what exactly had happened leading to the technical challenge that had left consumers unable to recharge their electricity credit for days.
This comes after some ECG prepaid consumers were left in the dark after a technical challenge affected the purchase of credits for their meters.
Customers in Volta Region, Takoradi, Tema, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Winneba, Swedru, Koforidua, Nkawkaw and Tafo were affected.
On October 1, ECG said they had fixed the vending challenges, however, some consumers were still reporting challenges on Sunday morning with long queues being seen at vending centres across affected areas.
Commenting on the situation, the Ranking Member noted that while the IT department of the ECGhas been bastardised following the technical hitch, it would be rather unfair to do so when there has been no concrete evidence to prove such claims.
He has thus called on all and sundry to exercise maximum restraint when commenting on the situation and await the Committee’s findings on the matter.
“I have spoken to Chairman of the Committee, honourable Atta Akyea, that when all is over ECG must be invited to appear before the committee so that we can deal with this issue and get the full facts. Because at that level, you’re appearing before a committee that has the powers of a high court and sometimes you’re under oath.
“But I think that it is early days yet to begin to accuse people directly. You may have your suspicions just as we also get a lot of information. And I’ve been very very careful putting out a lot of the information I get.
“In fact, I am aware that the IT department has worked around the clock to bring all this service back on and so let’s be very very careful not to pigeonhole people and demonise them.
“It is my hope that this investigation will be very very transparent and that the full details will be made available to the general public in terms of what really transpired and what we can do going forward. So I will plead with all of us to exercise maximum restraint in levelling accusations,” he said.
The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana, Samuel Dubik Mahama has said he can not deny nor confirm that the company’s prepaid vending system was hacked.
He said the inability of some customers to load credit onto prepaid meters last week was an IT related challenge that was being resolved.
Addressing a press conference today, he said the challenges would be fully resolved by the close of the day.
“Yes we do know exactly what the problem is and clearly we’ve solved the problem. We can clearly say that over 95 percent of our customers are back. So we are still working on the challenges that we have and by close of day, we will solve it”, the MD said in response to a question on what exactly the problem was.
Asked if it was a hack that caused the challenges, the ECG MD said, “to be very honest, I cannot confirm or deny. All I can is that it is left with the necessary investigations for us to do the right thing and to make sure that the right things are established, for the good people of Ghana.”
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) says 95% of its customers can now access its prepaid vending services nationwide.
According to the power distributor, the challenges with its prepaid system have been largely resolved nationwide, and, therefore, customers can refill their empty swipe cards.
Addressing the press on Monday morning, the General Manager for External Communications, Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, said he is hopeful that the prepaid services will be fully operational by the close of business on Monday.
“We do know exactly what the challenge is and clearly we’ve solved the problem. We can clearly say that over 95% of our customers are back on so we are still working on the challenges that we have, and as soon as we’re done by close of day, everybody will be able to vend”, he assured.
The comments by the ECG spokesperson follow a prolonged blackout in some parts of the country due to the inability of consumers to access the company’s prepaid vending services.
This led to a series of lamentations on social media by affected citizens who bemoaned the situation.
Regions such as the Greater Accra Region, Volta Region and the Ashanti Region were all severely affected, with locals complaining bitterly about the development.
In the wake of the crisis, Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George Nartey alleged that the disruptions in power supply were a deliberate scheme to sabotage the current leadership of the ECG and also cover up some rots at the company.
According to the NDC lawmaker, the challenge, which had left many prepaid consumers in the dark for days was carried out by some “criminal” personnel in the institution.
In a post on Facebook on Saturday, Sam George wrote “my information points to a group that has been siphoning over GH200 million, you read that right. Every month! Yes.”
“What we are witnessing is an internal power play to cripple the new MD who has dared to open an investigation into these matters”, he added.
But reacting to these concerns at Monday morning’s presser, Mr Ayiku Ayiku said he cannot confirm or dismiss the allegations of Sam George since he has no information in that regard.
He further added that he cannot substantiate the allegation about the hacking of the ECG’s systems, stressing that, the issue was not sabotaging, but rather a regular disruption.
“The challenge was ICT related. The challenge was technology related but we have the requisite people working for us. The requisite consultants are in place”, he said.
Mr Ayiku, therefore, thanked the staff of the ECG for working around the clock to resolve the issue.
Meanwhile, Sam George has taken down his Facebook post about the alleged cyber attack on the systems of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
According to him, he deleted the post out of respect for the ongoing audit and maintenance work the ECG is doing to resolve the challenges customers have been facing in buying prepaid credits.
Mr George added that he did not intend to compromise the remedial steps ECG was taking to resolve the situation.
“I have taken down my ECG post out of respect for the work I have just been informed is being done on the matter. I do not intend in any way to compromise the remedial steps underway”, he wrote on Sunday.
The Managing Director of Electricity Company Ghana (ECG) has rejected allegations of sabotage over the recent power purchase difficulties faced by the citizenry.
Samuel Dubik Mahama said the challenges with the institution are just like all others.
Speaking at a presser on Monday, Mr Mahama said ECG will put the necessary systems required to make their operations better.
“I don’t feel sabotaged. I don’t feel sabotaged at all. I just feel we are working and there are challenges and in every working environment there are pushes and there are pools, and we just have to work hard to ensure that the right systems are put in place, so things move in the right direction,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Mahama also assured Ghanaians the challenges will be resolved by the close of the day.
“It is work that we are doing. So we plead with you to help us help you. We have challenges, but we believe by close of work today, most of the machines will be working well and everyone will be able to buy their power,” he added.
Some ECG prepaid consumers were left in the dark after a technical challenge affected the purchase of credits for their meters.
Customers in Volta Region, Takoradi, Tema, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Winneba, Swedru, Koforidua, Nkawkaw and Tafo were affected.
On October 1, ECG said they had fixed the vending challenges.
In a press release, the power distribution company noted that consumers who were having challenges buying credits can now do so at the ending points.
“The Electricity Company of Ghana wishes to inform all stakeholders, especially our cherished customers on our prepayment metering system that the issue with the 3rd Party Vending Points has been resolved,” part of the statement read.
“Customers can now purchase electricity credits from their nearest vending points, and all ECG District offices, including tomorrow Sunday, 2nd October 2022, from 9.00 am – 4.00 pm,” ECG added.
However, some consumers are still reporting challenges with the system.
The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana, Samuel Dubik Mahama is uncertain whether the company’s prepaid vending system was hacked or not.
At a press brief, he noted that he could neither deny nor confirm that the company’s prepaid vending system was hacked.
He said the inability of some customers to load credit onto prepaid meters last week was an IT related challenge that was being resolved.
Addressing a press conference today, he said the challenges would be fully resolved by the close of the day.
“Yes we do know exactly what the problem is and clearly we’ve solved the problem. We can clearly say that over 95 percent of our customers are back. So we are still working on the challenges that we have and by close of day, we will solve it”, the MD said in response to a question on what exactly the problem was.
Asked if it was a hack that caused the challenges, the ECG MD said, “to be very honest, I cannot confirm or deny. All I can is that it is left with the necessary investigations for us to do the right thing and to make sure that the right things are established, for the good people of Ghana.”
The Chief Executive Officer of Engineers & Planners Ghana Limited, Ibrahim Mahama has been conferred EMY AFRICA, MAN OF THE YEAR at this year’s Exclusive Men Of the Year awards held on Saturday, October 1, 2022.
The award was powered by Ghana Investment Promotion Centre.
The special ceremony took place at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Mr. Ibrahim Mahama was awarded and specially recognised for his contribution to the growth and development of private sector businesses in Ghana and Africa.
The EMY Africa awards, celebrate Leaders, Young Achievers, Community Builders to Captains of Industries across the continent.
The Awards ceremony has become established as one of the biggest gatherings of influential and business leaders.
Presenting the award to Mr. Mahama, the Board Chairman of Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited, Dr Felix E. Addo, acknowledged the immense contribution Mr. Mahama has made and continues to make to the economic development of Ghana.
The award was also in recognition of his philanthropic activities.
Dr. Addo said Mr. Ibrahim Mahama’s companies are economic powerhouses in Ghana and beyond.
Speaking through the Technical Director of E&P, Mr. Majeed Abudu, Mr. Mahama said it is fulfilling when contribution to the development of the country is recognised.
He said, more is being done to empower the teeming youth through job creation and mentorship.
He thanked Ghanaians for accepting Dzata Cement since the company started operations last year.
Mr. Mahama is the founder of Engineers and Planners an indigenous, A-Class mining and construction company with an enviable record of working for multi-national companies both in Ghana and outside the shores of Ghana.
He is also the owner of Asutsuare Poultry farm, one of the largest poultry establishments in Ghana.
His latest venture is in the production of Portland cement, with the establishment of Ghana’s first wholly owned cement producing company Dzata Cement.
The plant has a capacity to produce 2.6 million tonnes of Portland cement in year.
The Managing Director of the power distributing company, noted that the ECG acknowledges its fault of failing to distribute power to customers.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has apologised to customers for the inconvenience caused by the challenges it experienced with its prepaid vending system.
The company has also disclosed that its vending stations are currently working so customers can purchase their prepaid credit.
Speaking at a press conference held on Monday, 3 October 2022, in Accra, the Managing Director of the power distributing company, Samuel Mahama noted that the ECG acknowledges its fault of failing to distribute power to customers and apologised for the interruption in service delivery.
Mr Mahama said: “That was our fault that we were not on top of our game to deliver a service. Let us not forget that in such a business the customer is the one that always gets hurt when you don’t deliver on your promise. So when I said I admit my fault, I admit my fault in not being able to deliver the service that we promised to deliver.
“I will like to apologise to all customers of the Electricity Company of Ghana who attempted to purchase power and they were not able to purchase power, the company admits its fault, the company admits that it was not able to deliver on the service.”
He however, hinted that, the company is still experiencing some challenges in the Ashanti Region.
“But the company will like all its customers to also know that most vending stations are up and running.
“I used most because we still have some few challenges in the Ashanti region that we are working on. Hopefully, by close of day today, it will be resolved.”
Meanwhile, the MD, is optimistic, that challenges with the power distributing company’s prepaid vending system will be fully resolved by Tuesday, 4 October 2022.
According to the ECG MD, customers will be able to purchase prepaid credits without challenges.
Power consumers across certain parts of the country have, for the past six days, been unable to purchase power on their prepaid meters because of a technical challenge that affected ECG’s prepaid metering systems.
Ningo-Prampram MP Sam Nartey George has taken down his Facebook post about an alleged cyber attack on the systems of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
According to him, he deleted the post out of respect for the ongoing audit and maintenance work the ECG is doing to resolve the challenges customers have been facing in buying prepaid credits.
Mr George added that he did not intend to compromise the remedial steps ECG was taking to resolve the situation.
“I have taken down my ECG post out of respect for the work I have just been informed is being done on the matter. I do not intend in any way to compromise the remedial steps underway,” he wrote.
On Sunday, October 2, the legislator claimed that the challenges ECG prepaid customers are experiencing are “extremely serious” because “the attack on their system was not external but carried out by a cabal of ‘criminals’ within the very same organisation.”
The MP added that he had an information that a group had been siphoning over ¢200 million every month from the power distribution company.
He urged government to commence a forensic investigation of the IT department of ECG.
“What we are witnessing is internal power play to cripple the new MD who has dared to open an investigation into these matters. The state security apparatus must with alacrity take this matter up and ensure the safety and protection of the MD and his team seeking to uncover the mess.
“The rot at ECG would make you sick if you truly love this country and it is not about politicians here. It is Ghanaian citizens taking advantage of the citizens. We demand swift and immediate action,” he said.
The ECG has, however, indicated that it is undertaking an audit into its systems to help ascertain what caused the interruptions in the purchase of electricity credits by customers using both old and new prepaid metres.
Speaking on The Probe on Sunday, ECG’s General Manager of External Communications said “for every system when there are issues you do a system audit and that is what we are doing now, trying to make sure we audit the system to understand what happened.”
Mr Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku added that “I am sure at the end of the day we will come to a conclusion but for now, effort and concentration are to make sure that we get our systems up and running.”
Despite the challenges, the General Manager insisted the ECG systems are not vulnerable and believes the audit will clearly spell out what went wrong.
Meanwhile, Mr Goerge says he “would continue to follow the matter and update the public on the actions taken to ensure such treachery against our country never happens again.”
Credit purchase
On October 1, ECG said they had fixed the vending challenges and urged customers to visit any nearest office to purchase credits.
However, some customers have been reporting challenges as of Monday morning.
The Managing Director of Electricity Company Ghana (ECG)has rejected allegations of sabotage over the recent power purchase difficulties faced by the citizenry.
Samuel Dubik Mahama said the challenges with the institution are just like all others.
Speaking at a presser on Monday, Mr Mahamasaid ECG will put the necessary systems required to make their operations better.
“I don’t feel sabotaged. I don’t feel sabotaged at all. I just feel we are working and there are challenges and in every working environment there are pushes and there are pools, and we just have to work hard to ensure that the right systems are put in place, so things move in the right direction,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Mahamaalso assured Ghanaians the challenges will be resolved by the close of the day.
“It is work that we are doing. So we plead with you to help us help you. We have challenges, but we believe by close of work today, most of the machines will be working well and everyone will be able to buy their power,” he added.
Some ECG prepaid consumers were left in the dark after a technical challenge affected the purchase of credits for their meters.
Customers in Volta Region, Takoradi, Tema, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Winneba, Swedru, Koforidua, Nkawkaw and Tafo were affected.
On October 1, ECG said they had fixed the vending challenges.
In a press release, the power distribution company noted that consumers who were having challenges buying credits can now do so at the ending points.
“The Electricity Company of Ghana wishes to inform all stakeholders, especially our cherished customers on our prepayment metering system that the issue with the 3rd Party Vending Points has been resolved,” part of the statement read.
“Customers can now purchase electricity credits from their nearest vending points, and all ECG District offices, including tomorrow Sunday, 2nd October 2022, from 9.00 am – 4.00 pm,” ECG added.
However, some consumers are still reporting challenges with the system.
Media personality and political activist, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, has urged Ghanaians to resort to illegal electricity connections if the challenge with purchasing prepaid credit persists.
His comment comes on the back of challenges customers of the Electricity Company of Ghana, ECG, have faced in getting prepaid credit to purchase from vendors.
In a video shared on his Instagram handle, A Plus lamented the impact of the absence of prepaid on businesses and the health of people.
He mentioned that some traders need electricity to refrigerate their meat and fish while some persons with health conditions need it to store their medication at a certain temperature.
“Have you gotten some of the prepaid to buy? ECG is on my lane here. There are a lot of people who have thronged the place wanting the prepaid credits. A poor person has gone to buy a pound of meat to refrigerate.
“The person sells kenkey so she has bought the meat and fish to refrigerate and fry and use it to sell their kenkey. For about one week, the person does not get to buy prepaid and the meat goes bad.
“These days medicines including Covid drugs are frozen. All these people want to buy the prepaid but it is unavailable. Others have machines that has to be plugged when their sickness becomes extreme otherwise the person will die but the light is unavailable.
“If you go to advanced countries, the light does not even go off. Over here, even when you are holding money to buy you won’t get some. What is even more annoying is that after uploading, what you get to buy, there’s light off. What is this?” he quizzed.
The musician cum political activist further berated the over-politicization of issues in the country, lamenting how easy it is to be politically tagged when making general commentary of public interest.
He stressed that even with the partisan nature of some governing New Patriotic Party activists, the matter of unavailability of prepaid has equally affected them.
A Plus added that Ghanaians should seek the services of electricians to connect them to the national grid illegally after searching for prepaid to no avail.
He argued that even if they are caught, the judge who will sit on the matter will be reasonable enough to know the challenges they are facing.
“If you have tried purchasing prepaid for a week now and you are not getting it, don’t bother yourself. Your meat will go bad. Just look for an electrician to do illegal connection for you.
“My prepaid is not finished. When it does, I will try looking for some over a certain period. If I don’t get it and I look in my freezer and things are not going okay, I will do illegal connection.
“We should test the law. No judge is mad. They are sensible … Do illegal connection. Explain to the judge with evidence that you have tried purchasing prepaid to no avail. Nobody can do anything to you when you are arrested. They’ll only take you to court in this democratic dispensation,” he opined.
ECG customers have had challenges purchasing prepaid via the app or vending outlets after the power distributor said it had encountered challenges with its prepaid metering system.
The situation led to many people thronging the district offices of ECG in a bid to have their issues addressed.
There have been reports that it was a result of ECG’s system being hacked. Meanwhile, ECG has assured that the challenge has been resolved while urging customers to visit any vendor close by to purchase prepaid.
“Customers can now purchase electricity credits from their nearest vending points, and all ECG District offices, including tomorrow Sunday, 2nd October 2022 from 9.00 am – 4.00 pm,” part of a statement released by ECG read.
Media personality and political activist, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, has urged Ghanaians to resort to illegal connection of electricity if the challenge with purchasing prepaid credit persists.
His comment comes on the back of challenges customers of the Electricity Company of Ghana, (ECG) have faced in getting prepaid credit to purchase from vendors.
In a video shared on his Instagram handle, A Plus lamented the impact of the absence of prepaid on businesses and health of people.
He mentioned that some traders need electricity to refrigerate their meat and fish while some persons with health conditions need it to store their medication at a certain temperature.
“Have you gotten some of the prepaid to buy? ECG is on my lane here. There are a lot of people who have thronged the place wanting the prepaid credits. A poor person has gone to buy a pound of meat to refrigerate.
“The person sells kenkey so she has bought the meat and fish to refrigerate and fry and use it to sell their kenkey. For about one week, the person does not get to buy prepaid and the meat goes bad.
“These days medicines including Covid drugs are frozen. All these people want to buy the prepaid but it is unavailable. Others have machines that has to be plugged when their sickness becomes extreme otherwise the person will die but the light is unavailable.
“If you go to advanced countries, the light does not even go off. Over here, even when you are holding money to buy you won’t get some. What is even more annoying is that after uploading, what you get to buy, there’s light off. What is this?,” he quizzed.
The musician cum political activist further berated the over-politicization of issues in the country lamenting how easily it is to be politically tagged when making general commentary of public interest.
He stressed that even with the partisan nature of some governing New Patriotic Party, NPP, activists, the matter of unavailability of prepaid has equally affected them.
A Plus added that Ghanaians should seek the services of electricians to do the illegal connection for them after searching for prepaid to no avail.
He argued that even if they are caught, the judge who will sit on the matter will be reasonable enough to know the challenges they are facing.
“If you have tried purchasing prepaid for a week now and you are not getting it, don’t bother yourself. Your meat will go bad. Just look for an electrician to do illegal connection for you.
“My prepaid is not finished. When it does, I will try looking for some over a certain period. If I don’t get it and I look in my freezer and things are not going okay, I will do illegal connection.
“We should test the law. No judge is mad. They are sensible … Do illegal connection. Explain to the judge with evidence that you have tried purchasing prepaid to no avail. Nobody can do anything to you when you are arrested. They’ll only take you to court in this democratic dispensation,” he opined.
ECG customers have had challenges purchasing prepaid via the app or vending outlets after the power distributor said it had encountered challenges with it prepaid metering system.
The situation led to many people thronging the district offices of ECG is a bid to have their issues addressed.
There have been reports that it was as result of ECG’s system being hacked. Meanwhile, ECG has assured that the challenge has been resolved while urging customers to visit their any vendor close by to purchase prepaid.
“Customers can now purchase electricity credits from their nearest vending points, and all ECG District offices, including tomorrow Sunday, 2nd October 2022 from 9.00 am – 4.00 pm,” part of a statement released by ECG read.
On Sunday, October 3, 2022, Mr. George wrote the following: “The ECG has a number of really major problems.
Their system was attacked internally by a group of “criminals,” not from outside the organization “.
The MP urged the government to launch a forensic probe into the IT section of ECG after claiming to have information that a gang had been stealing more than GH200 million per month from the firm.
Situation
Since last Tuesday, many ECG customers had struggled to purchase credit on their prepaid meters, either by using the ECG App or from vending outlets.
The power supplier had encountered technical challenges with its ECash and PNS Metering System which has made it impossible for customers to purchase credit.
The situation has been partially resolved as of October 2, 2022, with customers now able to purchase electricity credits through third-party vendors.
Explanation
In a follow-up, Mr George said he had deleted the “post out of respect for the work I have just been informed is being done on the matter”.
He said he did not intend to compromise the remedial steps ECG was taking to resolve the situation.
“I do not intend in any way to compromise the remedial steps underway. I can assure you all that I would continue to follow the matter and update the public on the actions taken to ensure such treachery against our Country NEVER happens again!”.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has served notice to customers on its prepaid metering system that the issue with the 3rd party vending points has been resolved.
The power distributor in a statement said, “customers can now purchase electricity credits from their nearest vending points, and all ECG District offices, including tomorrow Sunday, 2nd October 2022 from 9.00 am – 4.00 pm.”
It further assured customers that it is “working assiduously to restore the Power App for an improved and seamless service provision.”
Many ECG customers had for some days struggled to purchase credit on their prepaid meters, either by using the ECG App or from vending outlets.
The situation left some affected customers stranded, while some businesses have also taken a hit.
Following complaints from customers, ECG extendedworking hours at all district offices.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) claims to have resolved the vending issues that customers were experiencing with the country’s prepaid metering system.
The power distribution company stated in a press statement on October 1 that clients who were having difficulty purchasing credits can now do so at the various vending points across the country.
“The Electricity Company of Ghana wishes to inform all stakeholders, especially our cherished customers on our prepayment metering system that the issue with the 3rd Party Vending Points has been resolved,” part of the statement read.
“Customers can now purchase electricity credits from their nearest vending points, and all ECG District offices, including tomorrow Sunday, 2nd October 2022, from 9.00 am – 4.00 pm,” they added.
Prior to this, customers had experienced disruptions in the purchase of electricity credits in some parts of the country.
The ECG stated on Wednesday 28th September 2022, that the anomaly was a consequence of some technical issues. These technical challenges according to the ECG has since been remedied.
Volta, Takoradi, Tema, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Winneba, Swedru, Koforidua, Nkawkaw, and Tafo customers were been affected.
“Affected customers should please note that our engineers are working assiduously to correct the anomaly and restore the system to normalcy.”
However, as of Saturday morning, some customers were complaining on social media noting that they were still having challenges purchasing electricity credits.
Meanwhile, ECG promised later in the day that the issue had not only been fixed but they are working to also resolve the challenges with the ECG app.
“ECG once again assures our cherished customers that we are working assiduously to restore the Power App for an improved and seamless service provision,” they added.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has assured customers of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) of its commitment to ensuring that the Company resolves technical anomaly regarding the purchase of electricity.
The Commission, in a statement, said it was closely monitoring the situation and was in full discussions with the service provider to address the issue.
The ECG on Tuesday, September 27, 2022, informed its customers on the Ecash and PNS metering systems that due to a technical challenge, purchase of electricity credit had been interrupted, affecting customers in Volta, Takoradi, Tema, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Winneba, Swedru, Koforidua, Nkawkaw, and Tafo.
The Company on Thursday, September 29, 2022, said that it was working to rectify the technical anomaly, which had affected the purchase of electricity.
It, therefore, urged customers in the Greater Accra, Central, Eastern, Western and Volta regions to visit the Company’s district offices to purchase electricity.
Meanwhile, some customers have described the incident as unfortunate and asked the PURC to direct ECG to compensate those affected.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) says it was closely monitoring the challenges experienced in vending for prepaid consumers on E-cash and PNS metering system of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
A statement signed by the Executive Secretary of the PURC, Dr Ishmael Ackah assured “all affected customers of its commitment to ensuring the delivery of a safe and reliable utility service provision and to have the issue resolved quickly.”
The ECG is currently experiencing some technical challenges in relation to the metering system nationwide, which has resulted in some customers unable to top-up electric power credit on prepaid metres for the past three days.
The technical challenge has affected customers in 10 operational regional areas of the ECG in Volta, Kumasi, Accra, Takoradi, Tema, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Winneba, Swedru, Koforidua, Nkawkaw, and Tafo.
The problem started on Monday and as of Thursday afternoon, it was yet to be completely fixed.
“Some of the systems have been fixed but not all,” Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, General Manager in charge of external communications at ECG said.
“We are working very hard to make sure that we get all the systems in place,” he added.
Mr Ayiku said the issue is for some customers and not all customers and that the challenge was detected and fixed, “but some of the systems were not able to respond. So, it is not all our customers that are experiencing this challenge,” he said.
A statement signed by the Executive Secretary of the PURC, Dr. Ishmael Ackah assured “all affected customers of its commitment to ensuring the delivery of a safe and reliable utility service provision and to have the issue resolved quickly.”
The ECG is currently experiencing some technical challenges in relation to the metering system nationwide, which has resulted in some customers unable to top-up electric power credit on prepaid metres for the past three days.
The technical challenge has affected customers in 10 operational regional areas of the ECG in Volta, Kumasi, Accra, Takoradi, Tema, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Winneba, Swedru, Koforidua, Nkawkaw, and Tafo.
The problem started on Monday and as of Thursday afternoon, it was yet to be completely fixed.
“Some of the systems have been fixed but not all,” Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, General Manager in charge of external communications at ECG said.
“We are working very hard to make sure that we get all the systems in place,” he added.
Mr Ayiku said the issue is for some customers and not all customers and that the challenge was detected and fixed, “but some of the systems were not able to respond. So, it is not all our customers that are experiencing this challenge,” he said.
Below is copy of the statementgr
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has noticed with concern challenges experienced in vending for consumers on E-cash and PNS metering system of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The commission is closely monitoring the situation and in full discussions with the service provider to address the issue.
The commission wishes to assure all affected customers of its commitment to ensuring the delivery of a safe and reliable utility service provision and to have the issue resolved quickly.
Ten customers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Ashanti Region have been arrested for reconnecting themselves after they were disconnected.
The ten were arrested at Abuakwa, Makro, Manhyia, Tanoso, and other communities in the Abuakwa district during a night exercise.
The power distributing company arrested the ten as part of its special exercise to improve revenue mobilisation.
The ten were among 150 customers who were disconnected for failing to pay their bills and who were involved in illegal connections in the region.
Some of the arrested customers settled their bills and were reconnected.
The ECG TaskForce Manager, Ing Fred Kwabena Bediako, told the media that the exercise forms part of efforts to reduce losses and improve the company’s revenue generation drive.
He indicated that a similar exercise would take place nationwide continuously to ensure a stop to customers reconnecting themselves.
“We thought that with last experience people would have stopped doing the self-reconnection but going out today has proved that we need to intensify this monitoring to be able to deter electricity consumers from self-reconnecting.”
He added that: “We don’t take delight in doing such things because it is tiresome and increases cost, but we are forced under the circumstance to do this exercise.”
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) says it is committed to supplying quality, reliable and safe power supply to Ghanaians across its operating areas.
To this end, it has urged Ghanaians to be responsible citizens by paying for the electricity they use and report all forms of power theft to the appropriate authorities.
Mr Ebenezer Ghunney, the General Manager of ECG for Accra West Region, gave the assurance when the company commissioned a 200KVA transformer for the Ga West Municipal Hospital at Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region on Friday.
The transformer is to provide constant and reliable power supply to the hospital and improve healthcare services.
It was installed at a cost of GHC200,000.00.
Mr Ghunney said the company chose the Ga West Municipal Hospital because of years of complaints regarding the unreliability of power supply to the facility.
“Before today, this hospital used to be served from a public transformer and they often reported issues of power fluctuations, low voltage and frequent interruption of power supply to some critical units of the hospital, including the neo natal intensive care (NICU), theatre, emergency unit, the laboratory and the records (OPD),” he said.
He added: “The installation of this dedicated 200kVA transformer to the Ga West Municipal hospital is, therefore, a means of improving power supply and reliability to this facility, and in our own small way, ensure that the provision of healthcare to the people and patrons of this hospital is not jeopardized.”
He said the gesture formed part of the company’s corporate social responsibility as well as 2022 ICT Expo activities.
Established in 1984 as a health center, the facility was designated as a Municipal Hospital in 2008.
Currently serving a population of more than 200,000 in the Ga West Municipality and adjoining municipalities, the hospital serves on average, 72,000 outpatients and 8,500 inpatients annually.
The Emergency Unit of the hospital sees more than 6,000 patients annually, that is, more than 16 patients daily and remains the only and highest referral facility in the Ga West Municipality.
However, without a dedicated transformer, the facility relied on the only transformer that served the entire community.
Dr Eric Sarpong-Ntiamoah, the Medical Superintendent, Ga West Municipal Hospital, said the installed transformer would massively improve power supply to the facility for better healthcare delivery.
He explained that over the years, the facility had had to battle with frequent power trips as a result of low voltage from the only transformer that served the community.
“An uncountable number of medical equipment and computers got damaged due to the unstable power supply. This has made the hospital very expensive to run since we have to constantly be buying equipment,” he bemoaned.
Dr Sarpong-Ntiamoah disclosed that since January this year, the hospital had spent over GH¢40,000 on fuel to power its 100KVA generator to ensure stable power supply.
“This amount could have been channeled into purchasing equipment or medicines thus aiding in the provision of quality care,” he said.
While commending the ECG for the gesture, the Medical Superintendent appealed to other benevolent organisations to come to the aid of the hospital to help address the myriad of challenges confronting it.
These challenges include inadequate space for maternal cases admission (pre and post-delivery and labor ward), inadequate delivery beds for admission and deliveries, limited rooms for health services (consultation room, office, nutrition and public health education room) and limited space for antenatal clinics.
He also called for the provision of state of the art equipment for the Emergency Unit, Wards, Theatre and Theatre Recovery to enable it to deal with emergency cases.
Dr Margaretta Gloria Chandi, the Municipal Director of Health Services for Ga West, assured management of the ECG that the hospital would do all it could to maintain the property.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has cautioned against power theft in the country and urged the public to report such illegal activities to the company.
“Members of the public with information on any illegal electricity connections or thefts should report such cases to the ECG, and the informants will be duly rewarded,†it said.
Mr. Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, the General Manager, External Communications, ECG, said the Ministry of Energy, in collaboration with the ECG, had set up a national task force to combat illegal power activities, which was costing the company huge sums of money.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Mr. Ayiku said special utility courts, which sat on Saturdays, had been set up to deal with cases involving illegal power activities.
He cautioned that those caught engaging in the act would be prosecuted.
Through the court prosecutions the company was able to retrieve three million Ghana Cedis, he said.
“We need to increase our revenues and decrease our loses so that we can serve our customers very well.”
Mr. Ayiku said the ECG was committed to the smooth implementation of the new electricity tariffs approved by the Public Utility Regulatory Commission, and working around the clock to address the challenges of prepaid meters due to the new tariffs.
He urged consumers encountering challenges with their prepaid meters to call their help desk lines for redress.
In ensuring that Lower Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo municipalities are put back on the national grid, the Ministry of National Security has urged residents to cooperate with the Electricity Company of Ghana.
Communities in the municipalities have been without for several weeks following an alleged exchange of gunshots between the military and some residents at Nuaso.
The discomfort led to a number of protests in the affected areas. Following engagements, the ECG has noted that power will be restored in Lower Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo municipalities.
As the ECG works to address the challenges, the National Security Ministry said “Residents of the Lower Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo Municipalities (should) cooperate with the security agencies and the Electricity Company of Ghana to ensure law and order as electricity supply is restored to the affected areas.”
The challenges associated with power restoration necessitated a stakeholder meeting which involved the Ministry of National Security, the Electricity Company of Ghana, the Eastern Regional Minister and the Municipal Chief Executives of the Lower Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo Municipalities on Thursday, August 11, 2022.
The stakeholders after discussions agreed that towards the restoration of power, there would be “a conduct of integrity tests on all power transmission lines and electricity infrastructure in the area and the resumption of the installation of prepaid meters following the restoration of electricity supply to the areas.”
Also, the stakeholders agreed on the following:
a. The deployment of security personnel to the said areas to ensure law and order during the installation of pre-paid meters;
b. The provision of technical assistance by the 49 Field Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces to ECG technicians during the installation process; and
c. The arrest of persons whose conduct threatens to disrupt the exercise.
After weeks of taking Residents of the Yilo and Manya Krobo municipalities off the grid, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has begun maintenance works on its substation in the area.
The latest decision comes after series of meetings with all stakeholders including the ECG on ways to find an amicable solution to the current impasse.
Municipal Chief Executive for Lower Manya Krobo, Simon Tetteh said he is hopeful power will be restored in the shortest possible time.
“Now that the transformers are being repaired, we are highly expectant that power will be restored. We hope no other development forestalls this. It has not been easy these past weeks.â€
“We are just urging our people to remain calm because the matter is being resolved and very soon we will see an end to the blackouts we are experiencing.â€
There have been tensions between the resident and the ECG in recent times over the installation of prepaid metres.
There were reports suggesting that there were gunshots targeted at workers of ECGwho were in the community to disconnect power from the main transformer which was serving a number of illegally connected homes in the area.
The development, which is fast becoming a matter of safety and security, has attracted the attention of all stakeholders who have since sought a speedy resolution to the issue.
Residents of the Yilo Krobo and Lower Manya Korbo in the Eastern Region have been assured by the Municipal Chief Executives (MCE) that power would soon be restored in the area.
This comes om the back of a successful dialogue went on between the management of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the traditional leaders of both areas, the Regional Minister and the National Security Ministry.
In an interview with Citi News, the MCE for Lower Manya Krobo, Simon Tetteh urged residents to be calm
“We are just urging our people to remain calm because the matter is being resolved and very soon we will see an end to the blackouts we are experiencing.â€
However the Yilo Krobo MCE, Eric Tetteh, forwarned residents to stay away from lawless acts.
As leaders, we must tell our people in the face that enough is enough; their reasons for rejecting the prepaid metres are untenable when there is an assurance.â€
There have been tensions between the resident and the ECG in recent times over the installation of prepaid metres.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the gunshots were targeted at workers of ECG who were in the community to disconnect power from the main transformer which was serving a number of illegally connected homes in the area.
The development, which is fast becoming a matter of safety and security, has attracted the attention of all stakeholders who seek a speedy resolution to the issue.
But ECG says it will only restore power in the Kroboland when its men feel safe enough to enter the community.
Public Relations Officer of ECG for the Tema Region, Sakyiwa Mensah says because of the interferences in connection done by some residents, the company was concerned about the safety of the power that would get to the end-user.
“It was mainly for safety reasons. By safety, we mean our workers felt threatened. Also, the life and property of consumers within the enclave were at risk. We were working on restoring the power. While at it, we realised that some consumers had on their own started connecting to transformers in other communities which had light. This was done with careless abandon. They did not know the extent of possible damage their actions could cause.â€
The Managing Director of Electricity Company Ghana, Samuel Mahama has shot down calls to restore power supply in the Yilo and Manya Krobo municipality.
According to him, having access to electricity is not a right but a privilege.
Justifying the disconnection of power supply to the Yilo and Manya Krobo municipalities, Mr. Mahama stated that the action by the ECG was in place.
“The funny thing is we walk around thinking that it is our right to electricity; it is not a right , it is a privilege. If I can chase people in Fadama to pay their bill by giving them prepaid, I should be able to do the same thing in Manya Krobo. If I can ask the people in Dansoman to pay bills through prepaid I should be able to do that in Yilo Krobo.â€
Communities in the Yilo Krobo and Manya Krobo municipalities from Somanya to Kpong, have been cut off from the national grid.
The areas have been plunged into darkness since Wednesday, July 27, because Electricity Company Ghana (ECG) switched off feeders supplying power to communities in the two municipalities over illegal connections.
According to ECG, some recalcitrant residents have tampered with their transformers and reconnected power to their homes after they were disconnected for refusal to accept prepaid meters.
Meanwhile, families in the Yilo and Manya Krobo municipalitiessay operators of mortuaries are asking them to come for the remains of their loved ones as a result of the power outage.
The concern is that the bodies are decomposing in the wake of the community-wide power cut.
In an interview with JoyNews on Monday, one of the youth activists in the area, Edmund Aboagye said about five families have received incessant calls from mortuary attendants to retrieve their bodies because they are rotting at the facility.
According to him, the mortuary attendants say they cannot afford to fuel the generators that keep the facility running.
“I have had about four or five persons who have their family relations of dead bodies at the mortuary call to inform me that the hospitals have called them to come and pick their dead bodies because they have started going bad at the mortuary,†he said.
Commenting on the development, the Yilo Krobo Municipal Health Director, Irina Offei, stated that she cannot confirm that families have been asked to come for their corpses yet. She added however that she is certain “if the power is not restored by Wednesday, probably, they will be asking families to do that.â€
Madam Offei explained that the hospitals are now compelled to ration power because it is costing them more to keep the generators on.
Energy MinisterDr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh yesterday, Tuesday, 28 June 2022, swore in the Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Mr. Samuel Dubik Mahama and Ms. Naana Nsafoah Sarpong as Members of the Board of the ECG.
This swearing-in comes on the back of the appointment by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,of Mr. Mahama, who was originally a member of the Board, as Managing Director replacing Mr. Kwame Agyeman-Budu, who has retired.
Ms. Nsafoah, thus, becomes the fresh face on the Board.
Dr. Prempeh expressed the belief that she will bring her vast experiences to the benefit of the company.
The Energy Minister also used the opportunity to discuss with the Board critical matters pertaining to the advancement of the ECG.
50 military personnel have been deployed to beef up security at Krobo as staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) replace all postpaid meters with prepaid meters.
The installation of prepaid meters comes after years of an impasse between Krobo residents and ECG which escalated into devastating attacks.
The said violent clash ensued when residents allegedly blocked the town road to prevent ECG officers from switching off the main transformer that supplied power to the town.
The disconnection exercise had been occasioned by unpaid electricity bills that had accrued from 2014.
The incident claimed the life of one of the protesters, while several others sustained various degrees of injuries.
Five police officers also sustained injuries.
After the clash, the ECG office has since been shut down.
But to reduce commercial losses through power theft in the area, ECG has sought the assistance of the security service in its exercise.
Director of Customer Service, Anokye Abebreseh is optimistic that the installation of prepaid meters will ensure the effective collection of revenue.
He therefore urged all residents to cooperate with the ECG staff.
“Just last week we met, a tripartite kind of a committee comprising of Electricity company, National Security and United Krobo Foundation. We met and the agreement is that ECG going to install prepaid meters starting from tomorrow for which all of us have agreed. So, come tomorrow (Tuesday) we are going to deploy our men to the field to start the installation of prepayment meters. We have done a lot of stakeholder engagements so at least for now calm is prevailing so come tomorrow 14th of June we are going to start deployment of prepayment meters,†he saud.
Mr Anokye Abebreseh also mentioned that debts owed by customers in Krobo land from 2018 to 2021 will not be put on the prepaid but a suitable approach will be used to determine how payment will be done.
“Normally the practice is that when you put prepayment meter there you put the debt on the post-paid meter on the prepaid meter so that we will recover whatever debt but in this case we said from 2018 to date we are not going to put it there, and that we will meet customers individually and determine how they should pay the debt.â€
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has issued a notice on their plan to begin an audit of all meters.
The company in a statement said any customers who are caught stealing electricity after the moratorium will be charged with stealing in accordance with the law and “their names shall also be published widely”.
Customers are to report to ECG’s District/Regional offices for any of the underlisted issues during the period of the moratorium:
Postpaid customers who have meters but do not receive bills
Prepaid customers who do not purchase electricity credits
Customers whose meters are faulty
Customers who have by-passed or tampered with their meters and are therefore not paying for the full cost of power usage
Customers who have engaged in any form of electrical illegality, etc.
As part of the audit, teams of ECG officials will be deployed to update customer information.
Some parts of Accra will experience power outage as the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) undertakes planned maintenance works today.
The power distribution company in a circular noted that the maintenance work will commence from 9am to 4pm.
The areas to be affected are; Pantang, Bola, Abokobi, Akpoman, Boiman, Sesemi, Adjagonte and Ofankor.
The exercise, according to the power distribution company, is to improve service delivery in the aforementioned areas.
Meanwhile, the Electricity Company of Ghana has apologised to Ghanaians living in the affected areas for the inconvenience that will arise out of this exercise.
The Volta Region Revenue Taskforce of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), in a clampdown exercise has recouped more than GHC1.5 million to the Company.
The money was accrued from clients in arrears and those engaged in illegal power theft through surcharges.
The exercise, which begun early this year, in its catchment areas across Volta and Oti Regions took the operation to households, hostels, hotels, cold stores, pubs, restaurants and government institutions, who owed the company to comply with settlement of debts or power terminated.
The task forcehas visited customers in Ho, Denu, Sogakope and Kpando Districts and are set to visit about 100 debtors to ensure they settle their debts.
Mr Emmanuel Lumor, the Volta Regional General Manager of ECG, speaking to the media, said the directorates are replicating “the inauguration of the national taskforce by the Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, to help the Company retrieve monies owed it by some customers and to curb the menace of illegal connection.â€
He said the Revenue Taskforce empowered by LI 2413, allows the Company to disconnect clients who refuse to pay their bills within 14 days after receiving the bill.
He added that the taskforce has also served some institutions disconnection notices in accordance with LI 2413, giving them three days to settle their debt or face disconnection.
The General Manager said two such tertiary institutions responded with dispatch to settle their indebtedness after receiving notices of disconnection and warned clients who remained adamant would be taken off the national grid, until they do the needful.
He said the Company has intensified stakeholder engagements including announcements and radio education to sensitise customers on the need to pay their bills promptly to help ECG serve them better.
Mr Lumor disclosed some illegalities uncovered during the ongoing exercise to include meter bypass, unauthorised and direct connections, and meter tampering.â€
He bemoaned how illegal connections by some customers affected the financial strength of the Company, which hinders it from undertaking capital intensive projects that would inure to the benefit of customers.
“As a Company, we have to pay power producers when we purchase power from them to distribute to our cherished customers, hence consuming power illegally prevents the Company from generating money to pay these key players on the electricity supply chain,†he said.
According to Mr Lumor, illegal connection affects the distribution system by overloading transformers, which eventually leads to the breakdown of transformers and causes outages.
He cautioned the public to do the right thing through prompt payment of bills and desist from illegal acts such as meter bypass since it is a criminal and dangerous act, which could cause fire outbreak and the loss of life through electrocution.
Mr Lumor announced that the Company has the authority to prosecute persons engaged in such illegal acts within ECG network by an Executive Instrument (EI) 38 of the Appointment of Public Prosecution Instrument (2010).
He called on the public in general to support the Company in its fight against illegal connection by reporting people who engaged in such acts to the nearest ECG office or call the national taskforce via telephone number 0551444011 and indicated that it comes with a financial reward.
“There is a six per cent commission of any amount we recoup as an incentive for anyone who gave us reliable information to unearth any illegality,†he said.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (EGG) has indicated that it will not adjust tariffs beyond 10% in the future should the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) approve its pending proposal.
The company is requesting a 148% increment in tariffs, which the PURC is yet to either approve or disapprove.
At a stakeholder engagement on the proposals on Wednesday, May 11, Sylvia Noshie, General Manager for Regulatory Management at ECG, stated that the company is looking forward to having the PURC approve its proposal; something that will go a long way to help enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
She added that some technical and commercial losses also accounted for the increased proposal.
Sylvia Noshie further explained that increased tariffs were, “partly as a result of an accumulated adjustment for the past four years.”
She noted that Ghanaians will pay more than the 148% next year if the PURC disapproves of the current proposal.
“If PURC approved the 148%, there will be an average yearly increment of 7%,” Sylvia Noshie said as part of ECG’s projections.
The Director of Public Affairs, Kate Addo has refuted claims that the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) disconnected power to Parliament due to outstanding debt.
According to her, even though Parliament suffered power outages on Wednesday, the power cut was due to an internal fault.
“My conversation with the head of the Development Department shows that there was no such disconnection. On Wednesday, we had two power trips, and it had nothing to do with ECG coming to disconnect power from parliament,†citinewroom.com reports
Her comment comes after a visit by ECG to Parliament on Wednesday, April 27, to serve them following failure to pay some bill arrears.
The exercise according to ECG was due to the indebtedness of the House.
Even though the amount owed was not stated, the report indicates that Parliament has a huge debt of over several million cedis.
It is based on this Kate Addo has denied claims that the ECG had disconnected Parliament power.
The Electricity Company of Ghana loses nearly GHS3.2 billion due to illegal connections, and non-payment of bills, among others, according to the Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, Dr. Prempeh said the ECG losses were from “our inability to pay, unwillingness to pay or power theft.â€
He assured that the National Revenue Protection Taskforce was “out in full swing†to remedy this challenge with revenue.
“The National Revenue Protection Taskforce is going out because the amount of energy ECG is putting in the system, it is not getting the commensurate amount of money back to ensure that it becomes commercially viable.â€
“So if ECG loses 400 million dollars, averagely…which company can be viable if you continue to lose the amount of money that the ECG losses,†Dr. Prempeh quizzed.
He stressed that “every Ghanaian must be responsible and pay for the energy he or she consumes, or else you will be visited by the Revenue Protection Taskforce.â€
The Electricity Company of Ghana recently indicated its readiness to go after about 30 private and public institutions that owe it GHS 120 million.
Some of these institutions owe as much as about GHS 45 million and have not shown any commitment despite receiving disconnection notices from ECG, according to Citi News sources.
The institutions include the Ghana Airport, University of Ghana, Accra International Conference Center (AICC), Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Parliament.
Two persons, who posed as staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and allegedly extorted money from some customers have been arrested.
  The suspects, Richard Nii Moi and Edward Quartey, were sent to the Israel Police Station near Sowutuom in Accra.
Narrating the incident, the ECG Achimota District Manager, Mrs Mary Kpordzih, said the suspects posed as revenue collector and disconnection officer of the company and allegedly extorted money from some customers who could not show receipts of recent payments of their ECG bills.
Operation
“Their mode of operation however got some of the residents suspicious and so they quizzed them and demanded to see their identification cards, adding that they were unconvincing in their responses so the residents raised an alarm and reported their activities to the office,” she said.
The two were subsequently traced, arrested and sent to the police station for them to be investigated.
Commendation
Mrs Kpordzih commended the residents for their vigilance and charged customers to verify the identity of persons who visited their premises claiming to be staff of the company.
“Where you are in doubt, always report suspicious persons to the nearest ECG office or to the police station,” she added.
Revenue collection
The Electricity Company of Ghana has in recent times increased its revenue collection activities. These activities include the commissioning of a National Revenue Taskforce to clampdown on customers engaged in illegality.
A special task force of the Electricity Company of Ghana has gone after some two companies found to have been engaging in illegal power connections.Â
The two companies, which are; Samnort Company Limited located in Nsawam and Concrete Jungle and Wellness located at Cantonments in Accra have since been surcharged GH¢62,000 and GH¢256,008.2 respectively for the power theft.Â
According to the Public Relations Officer of the ECG for Accra-East, Mary Eshun-Oppong said, “Both companies will be made to pay all outstanding debts plus the fine for illegal connection before the matter is handed over to the police for further actionâ€.
She revealed that Samnort which operates as a sachet water producing company was engaged in an illegal meter bypass while Concrete Jungle Wellness which operates a restaurant was engaged in a similar act involving a 3-meter illegal bypass through a changeover connection.Â
Marry Eshun Oppong said the ECG discovered that both companies used power for a period spanning about 12 months which was unaccounted for.
Meanwhile, the ongoing checks by a special disconnection task force from the ECG is aimed at recovering debts from clients and curtail the rampant menace of illegal connections made by individuals and institutions on it’s distribution network.Â
In the past few weeks, the power distributing company has gone after some 27 public and private institutions which are heavily indebted to it.
The National Task Force of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Limited has cut power supply to parts of the Accra Sports Stadium debt owed to the company.
The Accra Sports Stadium was disconnected on Wednesday as part of efforts to reduce the debts of the company.
Nene Shadrack Mase, who led the task force, disclosed that the national stadium owed ECG GH¢587,087.37.
According to him, management of the stadium must pay one-fourth or 75% of the total debt for power to be restored.
He added that the rest of the debt will be scheduled and in the event of a default, the facility will be cut off again.
The facility is used by Hearts of Oak, Great Olympics, and Accra Lions for their Ghana Premier League home games.
The task force also cut power to Kotoka International Airport, Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel due to debt concerns.
Workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana have kicked against the extension of the tenure of Managing Director, Kwame Agyemang Budu, warning the company will go bankrupt soon as it struggles for office stationery such as A4 sheets.
According to the workers, even though the MD has reached his mandatory retirement age of 60 there are moves to extend his stay in office.
Such a move the workers are warning will spell doom for the company given the level of mismanagement that has taken place under his leadership.
Addressing the media, the General Secretary for the Public Utility Workers Union, Michael Adumatta Nyamekye cautioned that the nation will soon be plunged into darkness should President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the ECG board fail to act immediately as the company will go bankrupt.
Mr. Adumatta also accused the board chairman of ECG Kelly Gadzekpo of usurping the powers of the MD for the selfish interests of board members.
Meanwhile, the Electricity Company of Ghana has disconnected power to the Terminal 3 of the Kotoka International Airport and other offices of the Ghana Airports Company over unpaid bills.
The disconnection exercise was undertaken by a National task force of the ECG Monday after the KIA failed to pay their indebtedness to the power distribution company.
Sources say KIA owes ECG close to GH¢49 million.
An attempt by the management of the KIA to pay the debt by cheque when the disconnection exercise was underway was rejected by the task force.
The Ashanti Regional office of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has intervened to cause the refund of more than GH¢200,000 to 25 customers in the region for “over billing” and other infractions.
The refund of GH¢207,513.98 was done by crediting the utility accounts of the customers with the full overcharged amount.
It followed series of complaints launched by the affected customers of both the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
Subsequently, the PURC held a number of “settlement meetings” to have the two service providers to address the concerns of the affected customers.
The Regional Manager of the PURC, Francis Baidoo, told the Daily Graphic that the commission exercised its mandate in accordance with L.I. 2413 under the Customer Service Regulations, 2020.
The L.I. states, among others, that a public utility shall not overcharge a customer, and that if it did so, it should take steps to immediately credit the accounts of the affected persons.
Numbers
A total of 931 complaints were received by the PURC against the ECG, and 122 against the GWCL last year.
Mr Baidoo said the complaints included billing, payments, quality of service and metering but the most reported was quality of service.
The PURC observed that some illegal activities of customers resulted in network challenges as well as high and low voltage experiences leading to the destruction of domestic and industrial property.
Indeed, Mr Baidoo said self-reconnection led to the damage of lots of meters and property, and warned customers to refrain from such acts.
Barring any last minute changes, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) will from Tuesday, February 1, 2022, slap new charges on electricity consumers.
According to a document in circulation among EGC staff, the company, will be charging a screaming GH¢1, 020.00 for a single phase meter, instead of the existing GH¢400.00.
The circular titled, “new service connection charges†said they are all VAT/NHIL inclusive, and mentioned that the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has approved the new charges.
It is not clear, why all the stakeholders have remained silent on the charges, but waiting to spring a surprise on consumers. Â
The only thing going for free on the new list, is Meter replacement for both 1-phase and 3-phase.
But new consumers interested in a three-phase meter, will pay GH¢1, 920, instead of the previous GH¢700.
The Electricity Company of Ghana, ECG, has restored power to Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo Municipalities in the Eastern region.
The power was restored at about 4:25 pm Sunday, December 12, 2021, exactly seven(7) days after the entire area was plunged into darkness.
The restoration of power was greeted with spontaneous wild jubilation by residents.
Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo Municipalities were plunged into the darkness since Monday, December 6, 2021, following the decision by ECG to shut down the feeders to the Bulk Supply Point (BSP) which supplies power to the two Municipalities.
ECG explains the decision became necessary due to illegal connections by unscrupulous people on their transformers increasing the load.
A statement issued by ECG stated that “in view of the ongoing interference in our network as a result of the scaling down of our operations in the Krobo area which was necessitated by the threat to our staff, ECG has decided to shut down the feeders at the Bulk Supply Point (BSP) directly feeding the Communities in order to protect our network, lives, and properties of innocent customers and the general public within the lower Manya and Yilo Krobo communities.â€
The feeders were switched off a few hours after the power distributor closed down its district office in Somanya over safety concerns.
The week-long power outage crippled the local economy as businesses including cold stores, welding shops were struggling to operate.
The Member of Parliament for Yilo Krobo Albert Nyarkotey facilitated stakeholders meeting between ECG, traditional authorities in Yilo and Manya Krobo area as well as the youth Groups -Kloma Gbi and Kloma Hengme which some far-reaching resolutions were arrived at in the interests of both the Krobo Customers and the ECG.
The condition precedents and subsequent include the fact that there shall be a resolution from all Assembly members, in the two Municipalities together with the two Presiding Members to the effect that, ECG workers shall have access to ECG installations and meters in the communities as well as the homes of customers without obstruction from anyone. (This is currently being done by the two assemblies)
That, no individual or group shall attack any ECG installations be it transformers or meters within the affected areas.
That, a Technical team from ECG together with a team of both MP for Yilo and Manya would visit the affected sites of damaged ECG installations to assess the extent of the damage.
ECG shall immediately begin repair works on all broken/damaged installations in a bid to restore power to the affected Krobo Municipalities of Yilo and Manya.
Group Appeal
Meanwhile, a group calling itself Coalition of Krobo youth has promised to deploy 1000 youth from both Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo Municipalities to provide 24-hour security to ECG workers so the company could return operations to the area.
Addressing the media on Thursday in Somanya, the group said the intervention has become necessary because the security agencies the Police and the National Intelligence Burea (NIB) have failed to arrest the miscreants of United Krobo Foundation threatening ECG officials and stoking conflict between the residents and the power distributor.
Speaking during a media briefing by the Coalition, the convener Frederick Narh Okley appealed to ECG to restore power to the two Municipalities whiles engagement continue.
The group condemned the ultimatum issued by United Krobo Foundation for ECG to vacate the Krobo area. They also described as untrue statement that Krobos do not want to pay bills and do not want Prepaid meters
IGP visit
The Inspector-General of Police(IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare on Friday, December 10, 2021, visited the Krobo area following Intelligence that some residents were planning to go on a rampage in protest against the deliberate power cut to the Municipalities.
The IGP warned trouble makers in the area to abort such plots and use due processes to address their grievances to avert falling foul of the law.
The IGP said the Police administration will not entertain lawlessness hence admonished residents to the responsible and law-abiding.
The Ashanti Strategic Business Unit (SBU) of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has raked in over GH¢1.4 million from illegal connection and power theft in the region.
This followed the launch of “Operation Collect or Correct,†in October, this year, to check illegal connections and non-payment of electricity bills by customers.
In all, the SBU recovered an amount of GH¢1,470,116.59 from power theft alone in the region.
Theft
The Communications Manager for Ashanti SBU, Mr. Erasmus Kyere Baidoo, told the Daily Graphic that power theft was rampant in the region as some residents tampered with their meters to illegally consume power.
In all, he said the Revenue Protection Unit visited 1,487 accounts and screened 1,040 of which 261 were found to have been involved in illegal connection.
He said the total amount of power to have been stolen by the 261 residents was around 1,946,795 kilowatts which amounted to about GH¢2, 045,682.46.
According to Mr. Baidoo, an amount of GH¢575, 000.00 was yet to be recovered from the affected residents.
Illegality
Some of the illegal acts recorded, according to him, were meter by-pass, meter tampering, unauthorised service connection, and damaging of meter.
Campaign
The Ashanti Strategic Business Unit (SBU) of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has raked in over GH¢1.4 million from illegal connection and power theft in the region.
This followed the launch of “Operation Collect or Correct,†in October, this year, to check illegal connections and non-payment of electricity bills by customers.
In all, the SBU recovered an amount of GH¢1,470,116.59 from power theft alone in the region.
Theft
The Communications Manager for Ashanti SBU, Mr. Erasmus Kyere Baidoo, told the Daily Graphic that power theft was rampant in the region as some residents tampered with their meters to illegally consume power.
In all, he said the Revenue Protection Unit visited 1,487 accounts and screened 1,040 of which 261 were found to have been involved in illegal connection.
He said the total amount of power to have been stolen by the 261 residents was around 1,946,795 kilowatts which amounted to about GH¢2, 045,682.46.
According to Mr. Baidoo, an amount of GH¢575, 000.00 was yet to be recovered from the affected residents.
Illegality
Some of the illegal acts recorded, according to him, were meter by-pass, meter tampering, unauthorised service connection, and damaging of meter.
Campaign
In the meantime, he said the SBU had intensified the campaign to arrest recalcitrant customers who have the penchant to steal electricity and deny the company its needed revenue.
In the meantime, he said the SBU had intensified the campaign to arrest recalcitrant customers who have the penchant to steal electricity and deny the company its needed revenue.
Residents of Old Ashongman Purewater, a suburb of Accra, are up in arms against the Electricity Company of Ghana, ECG, over a power outage.
One resident who spoke to GhanaWeb pointed that following some work on a transformer in their area, they have been without power since Monday, November 15, 2021.
Subsequently, a number of houses in the area opposite the Westbridge School in the area, have been in the dark.
She stated that they had severally called the local ECG office to come and rectify the issues but all efforts to that effect have proven futile.
“It’s been four solid days we are without lights. Yesterday I called the ECG office and someone told me we are complaining too much,” she lamented.
Residents of Old Ashongman Purewater, a suburb of Accra, are up in arms against the Electricity Company of Ghana, ECG, over a power outage.
One resident who spoke to GhanaWeb pointed that following some work on a transformer in their area, they have been without power since Monday, November 15, 2021.
Subsequently, a number of houses in the area opposite the Westbridge School in the area, have been in the dark.
She stated that they had severally called the local ECG office to come and rectify the issues but all efforts to that effect have proven futile.
“It’s been four solid days we are without lights. Yesterday I called the ECG office and someone told me we are complaining too much,” she lamented.
She further bemoaned how food items she had bought were going to waste because of the outage stressing the impact on especially small and medium businesses in the area.
The Electricity of Ghana (ECG) has announced that persons who report others engaged in illegal connections will receive 6percent total sum % of the surcharged fee.
The power supply energy further assured informants of their security as their identities will be hidden on a confidentiality basis.
The announcement, made on Daily Graphic newspaper warned people engaged in power theft, stating that, the act is tantamount to the criminal offence.
ECG noted that it has the authority to prosecute persons engaged in such illegal acts within ECG network by an executive instrument (EI) 38 of the Appointment of Public Prosecution Instrument (2010).
It said, “Customers and the general public are therefore being cautioned to do the right thing and stop illegal connections since it amounts to a criminal offence and has dire consequences on the finances of the company, quality and reliable electricity supply and on the socio-economic development of the country.â€
“The general public are encouraged to report any act of illegal connection to the nearest ECG office or call the taskforce via telephone number 0551444011 for an informant reward of 6% of the surcharged amount upon confirmation of the crime. The identities of informants remain strictly confidential,†it added.
Meanwhile, Ghanaians have been advised to inspect the ID cards of ECG members when they visit their premises to inspect their metres.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Ashanti region has apologized to consumers for not coming out with a scheduled timetable during the recent power outages they witnessed in the region.
According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of ECG, Erasmus Baidoo, his outfit was unable to release a timetable for some parts of the region during the power cuts months ago.
Erasmus Baidoo noted that despite the public backlash, there’s been a considerable change in the situation.
Speaking on Asaase radio, the P.R.O explained that, “Sometimes we have most areas going off and another time we have quite a number going off and that has been the situation, but as I said over the past few weeks, we have seen some level of improvement.â€
He added: “We are hoping that it will keep improving until we are over it. So we apologise sincerely for the inability to come out with a timetable,†she added.
He noted that the maintenance work carried out is nearing completion.
It would be recalled that residents in the Ashanti region had in the few months bemoaned the high rate of power outages in the region.
The residents lamented that their lights go off unannounced, an issue that angered them.
Customers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) were on Monday 26 April left stranded in parts of Ghana following a staff sit-down strike.
The workers are demanding the immediate dismissal of their MD, Kwame Agyemang-Budu, claiming that he has failed to live up to expectation since he assumed office for about two years now, describing him as “visionlessâ€.
Checks at the Kumasi office of ECG indicate that some essential services have been suspended leaving some customers stranded. Some customers have expressed their frustrations over the development.
“This morning I came to lodge a complaint. I am having issues with my prepaid, I came to the reception, only for them to tell me they are on strike and I really need the service seriously because the way my meter credit has been running it needs an urgent attention,†he said.
“If I had the information earlier I would have gone to work and come later… It is really disturbing because recently we have been experiencing “dumsor†and to access their service too is becoming a challenge.â€
Standoff
It would be recalled that some aggrieved workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) last two weeks called for the dismissal of Agyeman-Budu by 23 April.
A statement issued by the workers said the continuous stay of Agyeman-Budu in office will lead to the collapse of the company.
The statement added “considering the aforementioned, the joint NEC recognizes that the continuous stay in office of the Managing Director in the person of Mr. Kwame Agyeman- Budu is gradually leading to the collapse of the Company. Accordingly, the joint NEC resolves the immediate removal of the Managing Director from office.â€
“Please take note that if by the close of work on Friday, April 23rd, 2021, there is no appropriate action, we shall advise ourselves.â€
